On Monday, November 19, Mayor Buddy Dyer and Orlando Fire Chief Jim Reynolds announced that the Orlando Fire Department had received a number 1 ISO rating. ISO is the nationwide standard for rating and ranking fire departments.

Orlando’s one rating is the highest possible, and only 55 communities in the United States have similarly ranked fire departments. This top ISO rating allows Orlando residents to live, work and go to sleep every night knowing that their protection is the best in the country.

Orlando residents may also save money on their fire insurance. In general, better ISO ratings lead to lower fire insurance premiums. This also benefits businesses, which also can see reduced insurance rates. This is one reason companies looking to relocate compare ISO ratings, giving our City another tool to attract quality, high-wage employers to Orlando.

This milestone could not have been achieved without the hard work and dedication of the Orlando Fire Department and the Orlando Utilities Commission. The municipal water supply makes up forty percent of the total score and must be reliable at all times.

In July 2006, Mayor Dyer launched a three-year, multi-million dollar Public Safety Initiative. This effort placed more fire and rescue units on our road, additional fire stations throughout the City and included the training, equipment and personnel that laid the foundation for the City of Orlando to attain the first ISO rating of 1.